The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are free from severe anthropogenic pressures, can be developed as the `Organic Islands' of the world, according to the Action Plan for Development of post-tsunami New Andamans, which was prepared by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.

According to the report, based on a survey of the islands by six MSSRF scientists led by P.C. Kesavan, the islands, which did not suffer from over-exploitation of forest and marine resources, are uniquely equipped to emerge as `Organic Islands' of the world.

"These islands can still boast of a forest area of over 85 per cent of the land. The agriculture practised by a fraction of the settlers is more biology than chemistry-based. What is more attractive is that a combination of factors such as precipitation, soil, coconut and arecanut forests, provides an ideal milieu for raising organic spices, vegetables and fruits. There are more coconut `forests' than plantations, which make the transition to organic farming easy,'' the action plan, submitted to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration says.

Crop husbandry, sylvi-horticulture (pandanus, coconut, spices, vegetables and fruits), and aquaculture (tiger prawns, mud crab) are based on low external input sustainable agri and aquaculture (LEISA). With proper care and organic certification system, the islands could emerge as `Organic Islands'. However, there was need for a change of mindset, and think beyond production and productivity, and in terms of value addition, sustainable management of the ecological foundations of crop and animal husbandry and aquaculture, and linkages with markets both nationally and globally, the report added.

The islands were fortunate in having several tribal communities whose collective traditional wisdom, blended with frontier science and technology, would strengthen the efforts of the administration to realise the vision to develop a `New Andamans' after the tsunami. This meant a participatory knowledge management, bottom-up approach involving the local elected representatives, tribal captains and members of the tribal council in the decision-making process and initiation of appropriate actions.

The fisheries, both marine and inland, offered great scope for employment and income generation as well as for nutrition security. The islands should give the same importance to fisheries as Iceland, the report suggested in its recommendations.

The action plan noted that capacity building in all aspects of disaster management and in the development of bio-shields, bio-villages and village knowledge centres was an urgent task. Capacity-building was also needed in the establishment and sustainable management of Community Food and Water Banks.

The report suggested that an Empowered Committee be constituted to examine and take speedy action on the recommendations. A multi-disciplinary Scientific and Capacity-Building Consortium consisting of experts with a track record in converting scientific know-how into field level do-how should be set up immediately to ensure that the rehabilitation efforts are scientifically sound and socially relevant, it added. ``All our suggestions are actionable and affordable. For success, a fusion of political and administrative will and action, professional skill and peoples' participation is essential,'' the report said in the executive summary of the action plan.

Besides Prof. Kesavan, others in the MSSRF team that visited the islands were: Dr. K. Balasubramanian, Dr. T. Ravishankar, Ms. R.V. Bhavani, Dr. John Joseph, and Prof. Subbiah Arunachalam.

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